Fine and clear for now

The wind has turned round and is coming from a different direction. I could hear it rattling the palm fronds as I lay in bed in that drowsy state you get in when you know you should get up but your body is not willing to make the effort.
So it was a pleasant surprise to open the door and see the sun still shining, and a much clearer viw of Magnetic Island, with all the smoke blown away. But not for long. As I write this I can see a huge bank of smoky cloud drifting up from the south.  The wind must have fanned the fires up again.  R said there is a large bush fire out near where he is working today. It is a new development just north of Townsville near the beach.

Yesterday afternoon I walked round to the Queens Gardens to explore a little more. I read on a noticeboard that there were some aviarys, but in reality they were rather disappointing. Only a few Runner Ducks (read about them here), an assortment of chooks and a few mangy parrots.  A couple of the less mangy stopped to say hello and pose for a photo.

A little Galah

A wild looking rooster

So I contemplated visiting the little panda, but there were a host of children running round with balloons, so I imagine he found a home with one of them. 

I spotted a little enchanted hideaway - well it could be!

Oh, all right. It's not really enchanted. And it's not hidden away.  Rather, just off the main path, but I thought it looked really pretty. It just needed a little rustic seat and I would have been quite happy to sit there for a while.

Back to reality.  there is a lot of action out on the harbour today and it is easier to see without all the smoggy haze.  We have had parachutists several times.

And I think this one was being towed behind a boat. I just snapped him before he went out of sight.

It is late afternoon now and not as hot, so I think I will go for a bit of a walk and see what I can see.

Bye for now. Back to work and school for everyone tomorrow.  Have fun.